How Green Screen Works

Show students the video in the student chapter Green Tie. Ask them to put theirhands on their heads when they notice something is wrong.

After video, ask students: What do you think was wrong with the man’s tie?

After students have discussed this for a few minutes, show them the video in the student chapter How Green Screen Works or have them access it. (It doesn’t matter whether or not they’ve correctly identified what the problem was in the Green Tie video.)

After students have watched the video once, play it again and pause at 0:31. Show students how in the editing program, the video has different layers like the parts of a sandwich.

In the old days, these were actual layers of film laid on top of each other. Now they’re digital layers or tracks.

Point out the phrase “Chroma Key” and the green box next to “Color picker.” This lets you remove everything that is that colour from one of the layers. Movies with lots of special effects are often shot in front of a green screen so it’s easy to add the effects, like in this video.

It doesn’t have to be green! You can use white or any other solid colour. But just like in the Green Tie video, you have to be careful not to wear anything that colour (unless you are doing it for a special effect).

The screens at 0:04 and 0:31 are from CapCut, but almost all video editors now let you do green screen effects.